Red Cross Saves New Haven Golf Event

October 09, 1992|By BRUCE BERLET; Courant Staff Writer

The Nike Connecticut Open stayed alive Thursday night and should continue at Yale Golf Course in New Haven in June 1993.

"We've been building for three years and plan to continue that trend," tournament co-chairman John Gontero said after the American Red Cross-South Central Connecticut Chapter board voted to remain overseer of the tournament, formerly known as the Ben Hogan Connecticut Open. "We need to pick it up even more, but we already have even broader support than we've had, so we're 100 percent behind going forward." The Red Cross reportedly was set to pull out because of an increased financial burden that included raising the tournament purse by $25,000, to $150,000. That doesn't include $100,000 Nike Inc. will pay each of the 30 events of the PGA Tour's minor league. Nike will replace the Hogan Co. as the tour's main financial backer in 1993, when the circuit will be known as the Nike Tour.

"I think some people got negative feelings because they were overburdened last year, but I've felt all along there would be a tournament," said Gontero, co-chairman with Jim Crowe and part of a six-member executive committee formed Thursday. "We need to broaden our reach, have more face-to-face meetings with the local corporations and people so they understand the benefits of the tournament and the Red Cross."

The Red Cross and Connecticut Section PGA shared tournament responsibilities in 1990 and '91 before the Red Cross took over. The event broke even in 1990 and made $25,000 and $60,000 the past two years.

But some people thought the increased purse and loss of Northern Telecom as a major sponsor ($25,000) would prevent the Red Cross from making at least $50,000, the minimum for justifying the time and effort put into the tournament.

Gontero said Centerbank and Southern New England Telecommunications will remain major sponsors but couldn't say whether they again would contribute $40,000 and $30,000 as they did this year. Gontero said other corporations he did not want to name are interested in helping finance the event, which has a budget of

about $150,000. That includes $25,000 for tournament director James Taylor, who will be asked to stay on, Gontero said.

Gontero said negotiations with Yale GC haven't begun, but he expects the event to stay as long as there isn't a scheduling conflict. The Nike event would be June 3-6, three weeks before the $1 million Canon Greater Hartford Open in Cromwell.

Hogan Tour officials wanted the event to remain in Connecticut. "The tournament has come a long way, and we're pleased with its progress," Hogan Tour commissioner Dale Antram said. "Connecticut is an area where we ought to be."

Said Bob Shea, executive director of the section: "We're delighted with the decision because the event adds something for golf and Connecticut and is rewarding for the section."